Packaging of baked bread loaves



1, 1941- G. c. PAPENDICK 7,695

PACKAGING OF BAKED BREAD LOAVES Filed Nbv. 25, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG, I.

- INVENTOR GUSTAV C. PAPENDICK QMQQ ATTORNEY FIG. 2.

July 1, 1941. G. c. PAPENDICK PACKAGING 0F BAKED BREAD LOAVES Filed Nov. 25, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR GUSTAV C. PAPENDICK ATTORNEY July 1, 1941. e. c. PAPENDICK -PACKAGING OF BAKED BREAD LOAVES Filed Nov. 25, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR PAPENDICK 4 GUSTAV C ATTORNEY July 1, 1941. c. c. PAPENDICK PACKAGING 0F BAKED BREAD LOAVES Filed Nov. 25, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 III: \H II INVENTOR GUSTAV C PAPENDICK ATTORNEY Patented July 1, 1941 PACKAGING oF BAKED BREAD LOAVES Gustav C. Papendick, University City, Mo.; Elizabeth Papendick executrix of Gustav C. Papendick, deceased, assignor to- Papendick, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application November 25, 1938, Serial No. 242,434

14 Claims. (01. 146-153) This invention relates in general to the packaging of baked bread-loaves and, more particularly, to certain newand useful improvements in methods and means for fractionally packaging sliced bread-loaves.

At the present time, bread consumers not only predominantly demand wrapped sliced baked loaves, but also desire that the bread slices when served be fresh and soft, with the result that considerable demand has arisen for small size loaf packages. It has been found, however, that it is difiicult to maintain maximum high qualities of tasteand texture in baked loaves of rela tively small size. Furthermore, labor costs in the bread baking processconstitute an extremely large portion of the entire manufacturing cost and are substantially the same per unit for either a wrapped small loaf or a wrapped large loaf. It will hence be evident that the production cost of wrapped smaller loaves will of necessity be disproportionately large with respect to the cost of the larger loaf.

My invention has for its primary objects the provision not only of a method of packaging small size loaf packages which economically meets the situation and overcomes the difiiculties stated, but also of mechanism for fractionating and packaging the bread-loaves, which may be readily constructed, which is high-speed in operation and simultaneously effects feeding of bread-loaf fractions into two simultaneously operating wrapping machines, and which is highly eficient in the performance of its stated functions.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings (4 sheets) Figure 1 is a top plan view of a bread-loaf fractionating and wrapping mechanism construoted in accordance with and embodying my present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the mechanism, taken approximately along the line -2-2, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary verticalsectional view of the mechanism, taken approximately along the line 3-3, Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism, taken approximately along the line 4-4, Figure I;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the carry-over portion of the mechanism;

Figures 6, 7, and 8 are transverse vertical sectional views of thecarry-over mechanism, taken approximately along the lines 6-6, l--'I, and 8-8, respectively, Figure 5;

Figure 9 is a top plan view of a modified form Ill-Ill, Figure 9; and 1 I Figures 11; 12, and 13 are transverse vertical sectional views of the modified fractionating mechanism, taken approximately a1 0 n g the lines II-ll, l2l2, and Iii-l3, respectively, Figure 10.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate practical embodiments of my present invention,

A designates a loaf slicing mechanism preferably of the vertically reciprocating knife type, which includes a base i having a pair of spacedparallel upstanding side frame members 2 transversely connected along their forward and rearward margins by a pair of cross frame members 3. Extending upwardly from the upper horizontal margins of each of the side frames 2, are side columns 3 transversely connected by a horizontally extending U-shaped head cover 5. Rigidly mounted on the inwardly presented faces ofthe side frames and extending upwardly along the side columns 3 thereof, are parallel way blocks 6 each having a pair of laterally spaced parallel slide grooves I formed therein for operatively receiving bearing blocks 8 mounted on the vertical side margins of knife frames 9, I ii, the latter being each removably provided with a suitable set of spaced parallel knife blades H, H.

Along its lower margin, the knife frame 9 is provided with a downwardly projecting arm l3, which is pivotally connected to one extremity of a re k arm IL'in turn, at its lower extremity swinga 1y mounted on a pivot rod l5 operatively disposed between the side frames 2 and similarly along its lower margin the knife frame 10 is provided with a downwardly extending arm 16 spaced laterally from the arm I3of the knife frame 9 and pivotally connected to one extremity of a rock arm H which is likewise laterally spaced from the rock arm M and is, in turn, at its other extremity swingably connected to a pivot rod l8 suitably disposed between the sideframes 2. Intermediate their respective ends,

the rock arms l4, H, are pivotally connected respectively to connecting rods I9, 20, the latter.

being operatively mounted in a drive-wheel 2|, which is journaled between journal brackets 22 and is connected by means of a belt 23 to a drive pulley 24 of an electric motor 25 mounted I from, the side frames 2; is a pair of opposed- I parallel arm members 21 arranged for supporting 2. preferably horizontal flat-surfaced conveyer table 28. Journaled at respectively opposite ends in, and extending horizontally beneath, the discharge end of the conveyer table 28, is a shaft 29 provided with two spaced sprocket members 30 respectively positioned slightly inwardly of the side margins of the conveyer table 28.

Similarly journaled at its one end in one of the side frames 21 and extending rotatively through the other side frame 21 in underlying horizontal position beneath the inner or rearward end of the conveyer table v28, is a driven shaft 3| provided with two sprockets 32 respectively in parallel alignment with the sprockets 38 and being further provided at its extended end with spaced sprockets 33, 34, the sprocket 33 being connected by a drive chain 35 to the sprocket 38 of the drive shaft- 31. of the feed conveyer B. The sprocket, 3.4 is similarly connected by a drive chain 38 to a sprocket 39 mounted rigidly on the extended end of a main drive shaft 48 connected to a suitable prime mover (not shown), which directly supplies motive power tothe wrapping machine C and, at the same time, through the drive chain 4| and the shaft 42 supplies the'motive power for the wrapping machine C, so that the-feed conveyer B of 'the slicing machine A and the two wrapping machines C, C'-, are all synchronized for movement at predetermined speed relationships, as best seenin Figure 1 and for purposes presently more fully appearing.

Trained over the peripherally aligned sets of sprockets 30, 32, are flight chains 43 having an upper run extending above the conveyer table 28 and a lower returning run extending below the conveyer table. Mounted at their ends at uniformly spaced points on, and extending horizontally between the flight chains 43, is a plurality of flight rods 44, as best seen in Figure 3..

Rigidly mounted at its ends on, and extending horizontally between, the side frames 2 and on the discharge side of the slicing knives ll, I2, is a delivery plate 45 spaced 8. short distance upwardly from and at its forwardly presented transverse margin extending over the inner or rearward margin of the conveyer table 28 in the provision of a free space 48 of sufllcient size to permit the flight rods to move freely upwardly around the sprockets 32 across the upper face of the conveyer table 28. v

Rigidly mounted in axially aligned juxta-posb tion respectively on the upper margins of the.

conveyer supporting arms 21 adjacent the rearward or inner. ends thereof,- is a pair of horizon- V tally. bored supporting blocks 41. Similarly mounted in axially aligned juxta-position respectively on theupper margins of the conveyer supporting arms 21 adjacent the forward or discharge ends thereof, is a second pair of supporting blocks 48. Rjgidly mounted on the upper faces of each of the pairs of supporting blocks 41, 48, and extending transversely therebetween, is a U-shaped bridge member 48 having a horizontal bight portion extending over and above the conveyer table 28. Slidably mounted on the bight portion 58 is a sleeve member 8| provided with a set screw 52 for securing'the sleeve at any adjusted position along the bight member 58, the sleeve being further integrally provided with a downwardly extending hanger arm 53, all as best seen in Figure 2 and for purposes presently more fully ppearing.

Adjustably mounted in the axially bored support blocks 41, 48, are horizontal rod members 54. Preferably welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the inner ends of, and extending longitudinally along and above, the upper face of the conveyer table 28, are opposed parallel side guide members 55, 56, at their inner or rearward ends extending over the delivery plate and terminating adjacent the slicer knives I2. The guide members 55, 56, furthermcreextend forwardly and parallel to each other for a short distance toward the discharge end of the conveyer table 28 and are thence bent slightly outwardly away from -each other for substantially the entire length of the conveyer table 28, being bent backwardly into parallelism for a short distance just adjacent the discharge end of the conveyer table 28, all as best seen in Figure 1.

Welded or otherwise fixed to the lower ends of the hanger arms 53 and extending longitudi- ',nally therebetween along and over the upper face of the conveyer table 42, is a pair of intermediate guide members 51, 58, respectively parallel to the guide members 55, 58, at their inner or rearward ends being formed together in the provision of a relatively thin blade-like divider I member 58 extending over the delivery plate 45 and terminating 'aqjacent the slicing knives I2 in alignment with one of'said slicing knives for entering and dividing the bread-loaf at a predetermined sliced cut, all as best seen in Figure 1.

Suitably mounted adjacent the discharge end of the conveyer table 28 and extending preferably at right angles to the longitudinal axis thereof,

is a wrapping machine conveyer D having a plurality of chain driven spaced companion pairs of loaf grippers 88, 6|, arranged in the formation of loaf-receiving pockets and actuated preferably by a conventional Geneva drive or intermit tent movement mechanism whereby at each cycle of the machine a particular pair of loaf gripper members 88, 6|, aremoved forwardly one space of division into respective gitudinal alignment with the guide members 5 58, and brought to a stop, as best seenin Figure 1 and for purposes presently more fully appearing.

Positioned adjacent the wrapping machine conveyer D on the opposite side thereof from the conveyer table 28,-is a pedestal member 82 provided at its upper end with a carry-over plate or table 83 extending rearwardly at one end over the wrapping. conveyer D and terminating ad jacent the discharge end of the conveyer table 28, being spaced therefrom by a sumcient distance to permit the flight rods 44 to pass freely around the end of and beneath the conveyer .table 28. Along its side margins, the carry-over fp1ate;83 is provided with a pair of upstanding parallel side plates 64, 85. Jom'naled in and- 75,

extending horizontally through the side; plates 64, 65, is a shaft member 66, provided at its one extended end with a sprocket member 61, which is, in turn, connected by a chain 68 to a driving sprocket 69 operatively mounted on the end of the transfer conveyer'shaft 29. The shaft 66 is further provided along that portion of its one extended end between the side plate 64 and the sprocket 61 and also along its other extended end outwardly from the side plate 65 with identical driving gears 10, which respectively have meshing engagement with gears 1| pinned to short axially aligned shafts 12, which are, in turn, journaled in the side plates 64, 65, and are provided on their inwardly extended ends with sprocket members 13 for operatively supporting the sprocket chain I4 trained therearound and extending forwardly therealong and around the idle sprockets 15, which are, in turn, rotatably mounted on stub shafts 16 rigidly mounted in the side plates '64, 65, adjacent the forward ends thereof, all as best seen in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Operatively mounted at their ends at spaced points along the chains 14 and extending horizontally therebetween, is a plurality of spaced parallel flight rods I1 for shifting the breadloaves over and along the carry-over plate 63.

The carry-over plate 63 is further provided with a pair of parallel upstanding loaf guides 18 of suilicient height to properly guide the loaf and yet not being so high as to extend upwardly into the path or otherwise interfere with the free operation of the flight rods 11, all as best seen in Figures '7 and 8.

Positioned adjacent, and extending preferably at right angles to, the carry-over plate 63, is a wrapping machine conveyer D substantially identical in all respects to the previously described wrapping machine conveyer D and arranged for transporting bread-loaf fractions-into the wrapping machine C, all as best seen in .of the side guides 55, 56, engage the "heel or outer ends of'the respective loaves L and prevent the slices thereof from falling over or the several loaves from becoming otherwise dissociated. At the same time, the blade-like end portion or divider plate 59 of the intermediate tion I is held between the side guide and the intermediate guide 51. By reference to Figure 1, it will be evident that as the particular loaf fractions 1 Z, are progressed forwardly over the upper face of the transfer conveyer table 28, said particular fractions 1, 1'; will also be shifted axially away from each other. It will also'be evident that, as the particular flight rod 44 reaches the discharge end of the transfer conveyer table 28, it will move downwardly and return from beneath, discharging the one loaf section 1 intoa pair of loaf grippers 50, 6|, of the wrapping machine conveyer D, which have momentarily come to rest in alignment'therewith, as above described. Simultaneously, the other fraction 1' will be shifted onto the rearward end of the carry-over plate 63. As said loaf fraction 1 moves onto the carry-over plate 63, one of the carry-over flight rods 11 will move downwardly into abutting engagement with said loaffraction Z and progress the same forwardly over the carryover plate 63 between the loaf guide members 18 thereof and discharge such loaf fraction 1' into one of the loaf-receiving pockets of the wrapping machine conveyer D which has come to rest momentarily in alignment therewith for transporting the particular loaf fraction 1' into the wrapping machine 0 for mechanical wrapping or other handling in any conventional manner.

If it is desirable for any reason to obviate the use of the divider plate mechanism for splitting the successive loaves into a plurality of fractions, I may provide a conveyer table 19 having a rearward horizontal portion 80 extending forwardly from and on the same plane with the delivery,

'plate 45 and having its rcarwardly presented transverse margin spaced forwardly from the margin of the dischargeplate for a substantial distance in the provision of an aperture or slot 82, all as best seen in Figure 10 and for purpose presently more fully ap'pearing.

, Along its mid-section, the conveyer table 19 is deformed upwardly in a shallow V having two inclined faces 83, B4, separated by a ridge line 85 and ultimately at their forward ends being deformed or bent again into a flat horizontal plane-surfaced portion 86 substantially above the level of the rearward portion 80 of the conveyer table 59. The side guide members 55', 56',

' are mounted and formed in substantially the guide members 51, 58, enters and divides each" successive loaf L at a slice-cut into two separate and distinct fractions or loaf sections Z, 1'.

Under the influence of the successive breadloaves L, which are being fed through the slicing knives l2, by the feed conveyer B, the

particular sliced bread-loaf L upon the deliveryplate 45 will be urged or propelled forwardly over the edge of the delivery plate and drop downwardly upon the upper surface of the transfer conveyer table 28. Meanwhile, one of the flight rods 44 moves upwardly from beneath the transferconveyer table 28 and simultaneously engages same manner as the previously described side guides 55, 56, being at the rearward end of the conveyer table parallel for a substantial distance and being angularly bent outwardly approximately at the points in transverse alignment with the point at which the deformation of the conveyer table 19 begins and being preferably twisted slightly out of the vertical to lie in a plane at right angles to the planes of the inclined conveyer table portions 83, 84, respectively.

Theside guides 55', 56', furthermore extend tially'similar in all respects to the previously described shafts 29, 3|. The, shafts 29, 3|, are similarly provided with sprocket members 30',

Y 32', respectively, the sprocket 32' being substantially larger indiameter than the sprocket 30', so that the conveyer chains 43' trained therearound will extend rearwardly and downwardly beneath the table but will move upwardly around the sprocket 32' and extend horizontally forwardly around the sprocket 30', thus being spaced substantially upwardly from the rearward supporting bread-loaf fractions and having a pair of opposed parallel guide members for confining the bread-loaf fractions to a predetermined path of movement, and conveyer means operably mounted on and spaced upwardly from the base for progressing the loaf fractions over horizontal portion 80 of the conveyer table 19, I

all as best seen in Figure and for purposes presently more fully appearing.

Suitably supported by a U-shaped bridge member 49', substantially similar in all respects to bent or twisted into planes respectively parallel with the opposed how-vertical portions of the side guides 55', 56', respectively, and extend forwardly in parallelism therewith,- being ultimately bent back into vertical planes at right-angles to the horizontal portion 86 of the conveyer table 19 to conform to the vertical forward portions of the side guides 55', 56', respectively, all as best seen in Figure 9 and for purposes presently more fully appearing.

In use, the sliced bread-loaves L issuing from the delivery plate 45 move onto the rearward horizontal: portion 80 of the conveyer table 19, at which point each sliced bread-loaf L' is picked up by a particular'flight rod 44 and moved rapidly over the upper face of the conveyer table 19 between the side. guides 55', 56'. As'each sliced bread-loaf L reaches the ridge to speak, and is automatically separated into two fractions which move across the inclined sented crustless end faces of the loaf-fractions 2, l and prevent the same from becoming dissociated as they ride upwardly off of the inclined the bridge member 49 previously described, isa

the base, said conveyer means being of the, endless type and having a loaf-engaging run and a return run, said return run being positioned on the opposite side of the loaf-engaging run and away from the path of movement of the loaf fractions with respect to the base.

2. In sliced loaf packaging mechanism, loaf fractionating means comprising a conveyer table adapted to support a plurality of bread-loaves for travel therealong, said table having rearward and forward flat portions and an inter: mediate portion deformed in the'provision of a ridge extending in the direction oftravel of the bread-loaves and adapted to bend the sliced loaf about a line parallel to the path of loaf-movement for breaking the loaf into separate fractions as it progresses thereover.

having forward and rearward flat portions posi-.

member 85, it is bent upwardly in its'middle, so

portions 83, 8!, onto the upper forward horizontal portion I6- of the conveyer table J9, as best seen in Figure 10.

It will thus be evident that as the sliced breadloaves -L' moveover the deformed mid-section,

they will be split into two separate fractions 1 3 1 which will, in turn, actually be shifted away from each other axially for delivery into the wrappingmachine conveyer D and the carryover'piate 63, as above described. l

The method and mechanism described fulfill in every respect the objects stated, and it should steps of the method and changes and modlfi'cae tions in the form, construction, arrangement,

tions during movement over the deformed portion of said table. l

3. In sliced loaf packaging mechanism, loaf fractionating means compris a conveyer table adapted to support a plurali y of bread-loaves forslidable movement thereacross, said table having two parallel fiat end portions and an in-' 4. In sliced'loaf packaging mecha fractionating means comprising a conveyer tableadapted to support a plurality of bread-loaves for slidable movement thereacross, said table tioned respectively inispaced parallel planes and an inclined intermediate section deformedin the provision of a ridge extending in the direction I of loaf travel for causing the sliced loaf to break apart into a plurality of separate fractions as it isprogressed thereover.

5.'In sliced loaf packaging mechanism, .loaf

fractionating means comprising a conveyer table having forward and rearward flat portions positioned respectively in spaced parallel planes and an intermediate portion including a pair of longitudinaliy intersecting inclined portions positioned angularly with respect to each other and with respect to the flat portions in the provision of a longitudinally extending ridge for causing the sliced loaf to break apart into a plurality of fractions as it is progressed thereover.

havingtwo parallel flat end portions and an in- I termediate deformed portion includingan out beunderstood that variations in thevariousand combination of the several parts of the mechanism may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle ofmy in-' vention.

Having thus describedflmy" invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

wardly presented ridge extending in the direction of loaf travel for causing the slicedloaf to bendand break apart into a plurality of fractions as it progresses thereover, and means forprogressing sliced loavesover said table.

'7. In sliced loaf packaging mechanism, loaf fractionating means comprising a conveyer table adapted to support a plura'lltyof bread-loaves for slidable movement thereacross, said table having forward and rearward'flat portions positioned in spaced parallel planes and an inclined intermediate section'dei'ormed in the provision of a ridge extending in the direction of loaf tioned respectively in spaced apart parallel planes and an intermediate portion including a pair of longitudinally intersecting inclined portions positioned angularly with respect to each other and with respect to the flat portions in the provision of a longitudinally extending ridge for causing the sliced loaf to break apart into a pinrality of fractions as it is progressed thereover, and means for progressing sliced loaves over said table.

9. The method of fractionating sliced breads loaves which comprises progressing the sliced bread-loaf forwardly, simultaneously bending the bread-loaf along a slice cut whereby to cause the bread-loaf to fall into a plurality of fractions, and subsequently bringing the loaf fractions back into axial alignment during forward progressive movement while preserving therebetween the spaced relationship introduced by the bending operation.

10. Bread-loaf handling mechanism for han- 10 dling a loaf delivered from a slicing means, a

transfer conveyor, means also associated with the transfer conveyor for causing the sub-divided fractions to move along separate initial paths and separate means interposed in each of said initial paths and operable in timed relation to each other for receiving the several loaf-fractions and shifting them along pathsdiflerent from their initial paths for delivery at spaced positions for subsequent packaging operations.

12. Bread-loaf handling mechanism for hantransfer conveyor mounted on the discharge side of the slicing means for receiving and transportin: the sliced loaf from the slicing means, means cooperably associated with the transfer conveyor for sub-dividing the sliced loaf into a plurality of fractions as it is transported by said transfer conveyor, and means operabie in timed relation 'to the operation of the transfer conveyor for 'spacially separating the loaf-fractions after the loaf has been subdivided and transporting the several fractions of each loaf along paths respectively disposed in spaced planes for separate delivery at spaced positions for subsequent packaging operations.

13. In bread-packaging mechanism, a table adapted to support a plurality of bread-loaves for slidable movement thereacross, said table having, intermediate its ends, a bend extending in the direction of travel of the bread-loaves for subdividing each bread-loaf into fractions, a pair of opposed parallel guide members for confining the bread-loaf fractions to a predetermined path of movement, and conveyer means disposed ento the operation of the transfer conveyor for plurality of fractions as it is transported by said 60 tirely for movement for progressing the loaf fractions therealong,

14. In bread-packaging mechanism, a table "adapted to support a plurality of bread-loaves for slidable movement thereacross, said table having. ntermediate its ends, a bend extending in thedirection of travel of the bread-loaves GUSTAV C. PAPENDICK. 

